What is the difference of 看 and 看见？

看 (kàn):
"看" generally means "to look" or "to watch."
It indicates the action of looking at something without necessarily implying that you have seen or noticed it.
It is often used when describing the act of looking in a general sense.
Example:
我在看电影。(Wǒ zài kàn diànyǐng.) - "I am watching a movie."




看见 (kànjiàn):
"看见" is a compound word that combines "看" (kàn - to look) and "见" (jiàn - to see).
It specifically means "to see" or "to have seen," implying that the person looking has noticed or become aware of something.
It suggests a more complete action of seeing or recognizing.
Example:
我看见了一只小猫。(Wǒ kànjiàn le yī zhī xiǎo māo.) - "I saw a little cat."